Love Affairs
by Claw.Ravenscroft
Summary: Todd fell in Love with a girl called Samantha.
1. Dangerous Glances

Chapter 1: Dangerous Glances

As she walked through the hall of the school, heading directly to her locker, her black cape waved slightly and her long black hair bounced with every move she made. She was holding her books tight up to her chest; her head was hanging down, as if she wanted to proof the floor for every step. Todd was always fascinated about her look and how she moved as if she would fly mildly upon the ground. She didn't notice that he was staring at her, as usual, because she rarely looked up from the floor.

Todd sighed. He wasn't sure if he should talk to her and if, what to say. He liked her poems, but he couldn't tell her, because if he would, he had to explain her that he has stolen her notebook once to take a look at it. So he decided to say nothing at all and keep staring at her during their common lessons in literature and maths. He already thought about to ask her if she would wanted his help in maths, but mind that it could be a bad start to begin a conversation about her deficits.

"What are you staring at, Toad?" Pietro asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothin, nothin! Todd replied vacantly.

Lance glanced at him. "You're sure? I thought you are falling for this strange gothic chick."

He said with a big grin.

"Who? Me? Are ya kiddin?" he grossed his arms and glared at the floor.

Pietro and Lance started giggling and Fred got a big grin on his face.

"Oh, little Toad fell in love." Fred mocked.

Now all three mutants started laughing and Todd walked off very angry. He hoped that Samantha hadn't heard them and went to class.

While lunch break Todd sat very silent next to the others and tried to avoid to take a look at Samantha. She was sitting on a table in a hidden corner of the cafeteria and reading a book. Her light blue eyes scampered.

"You are already staring at her?" Lance smirked.

Todd hadn't really notice that his view went on Samantha again. He blushed and looked down ashamed, not knowing what to say. The three others giggled again.

Now Rogue and Risty were sitting next to Samantha and Rogue started glaring at the brotherhood boys as they started laughing.

Todd just wanted to hide somewhere. He was sure that this time she had heard something.

Samantha was hiding behind her book while she was whispering to Risty.

Suddenly Pietro jumped up and walked over to the girls.

"Hey you cuties! Do you mind if I sit down next to you?" He asked while he sat down, not waiting till he would get an answer.

"Well, we do mind. So if ya could show off and annoy someone else." Rogue replied in a nerved tone.

Todd sank deep into his chair and hid his face in his hands. He didn't want to see what Pietro was up to. His face was now as red as a tomato. He thought about to ran out of the cafeteria and hide somewhere until next month.

Pietro didn't thought about to leave the girls table. He set a hand on Samantha's book and forced it down to look directly into her face

"I asked myself if we could go out for dinner. How about tomorrow?" Pietro smiled charmingly.

"Why don't ya just leave, Maximoff!" Rogue said angry.

"Are you jealous?" He ask in her direction.

Rogue gave him a disgusted glare and crossed her arms. "You just dream 'bout that!" She announced.

"C'mon Pietro. Drop it." Risty interrupted their little discussion.

Pietro didn't consider Rogue anymore and pointed his view back at Samantha, which was quiet all the time. She was already pretending to read, but her eyes stood still. Pietro noticed a red medallion on her neck and stared at it.

"Beautiful brooch you have there. Can I take a look?" and he reached out for the medallion.

"No, you can't!" she wanted to scream out loud, but she could just manage a whisper. Shocked, she held her hand up to protect the red stone.

"Oh, c'mon. Don't be so shy." He said and grabbed for her medallion with his high speed.

A fizzing was heard and suddenly the look of Samantha totally changed. Her skin turned black; instead of the cape were black wings. Everyone jumped up shocked.

Todd was stand up to go as he noticed the tumult behind him and turned around. His eyes widened.

Samantha was now cowering in the corner, holding her hands, which each had 4 claws, tight to her body. Her wings reached out protective in front of her. Her long tail fluttered.

Some girls started screaming and draw back in fear.

"Ups, hehe, sorry!" was the only thing Pietro said with a stupid embarrassed grin and sped away, leaving the medallion on the table.

Lots of students screamed something about monster and demon and ran out. Scott and Jean tried to make their way to the three paralyzed girls. Samantha tried to fight back her tears. Some voices shouted "Kill the demon." And "Burn her down".

Todd wasn't sure what to do know. Kurt, Fred and Lance stole their selves away. They didn't wanted to get into some troubles. In the cafeteria was only chaos.

Todd wanted to jump over to her and bring her out of this mess, but Risty was faster. She broke out of her rigor, took Samantha's claw hand and started to run to the emergency exit next to them. It wasn't locked, so they could escape. Rogue was right behind them, followed by Scott and Jean. Todd saw his chances to start some kind of relationship with Samantha sink deeper and deeper.


	2. Welcome

Chapter 2: Welcome

Samantha stared panicked at Risty, who was already holding her hand. As she heard the others behind her following she turned around getting a bit closer to Risty, who also stepped closer. Samantha looked scared at Scott and Jean. Rogue glanced confused at Risty.

"You don't need to be afraid." Scott said. "We are …" He looked at Risty.

"Oh, c'mon. I know you all are mutant. Rogue told me." Risty said, as she noticed he didn't want to speak openly in front of her.

"Well, yeah." He stumbled confused.

"Well, I guess what he wants to say is, you can trust us. We can help you if you need it." Jean said quickly.

"She is right, if you have problems we can help you out." Rogue agreed.

"How will you try to take care of this problem?" Samantha asked and nodded in the schools direction.

"I'm sure we can handle that somehow." Scott said. "We should call the professor now and ask for his advice."

Risty wasn't really pleased about that, but she tried to hide her emotions.

"Who is that professor ?" Samantha whispered with her strange hoarse voice.

"He leads an institute for people like us." Answered Rogue.

"We better go now" said Jean and they all went to the institute except for Risty, who leave them with the words: "Well, I guess that's mutant stuff right now."

Away from the others she turned back into her normal form and thought angry about how to get Samantha on her side.

As they arrived at the institute, Storm was standing in the great hall, waiting.

The professor is already waiting for you in his study." She said.

Samantha was surprised how this professor could know that they were coming. The others didn't seem to be surprised that much.

Xavier sat behind his desk as the young mutants entered his study room.

"Hello you four." He said and tipped his fingertips together. "I awaited you."

"Man, professor, do you spy on us all the time?" Scott asked reproachful.

"No, Scott." He gave him a glare. "Kurt introduced me about the happenings in the cafeteria." Scott blushed. "Don't worry Samantha" Xavier looked up to her "I took care of it. No one will consider you about that."

"But, how did you manage that?" she asked confused.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I erased all their memories. But, why don't you sit down. Let us talk a bit." She sat down. "You others can leave now, thanks that you brought her here." He nodded to the others, which left the room silently. Samantha gave a shy look back as they walked through the door. "Now, tell me Samantha, where did you get this wonderful image inducer?" He pointed on her medallion she was wearing again..

"Oh, my father gave me that once." She answered.

"Really? Is your father also a mutant? Maybe I know him." He asked charmingly.

"I don't know him that well. He just sent me letters sometimes. I lived with my aunt."

"You said you lived with your aunt. Don't you live there anymore?"

"No. She died. I live in my car at the moment."

"So, why don't you stay here at the institute? Wouldn't that be better?"

"Well, sure. I think…"

"Ok, then. I ask Rogue to show you your new room, alright." As he finished his sentence Rogue came in immediately. She waiting in front of the door and listened, as she heard Xavier's voice in her head which told her to come in.


	3. Teen Angst

Chapter 3: Teen Angst

After the weird scene in the cafeteria, Todd had a hard night. He couldn't sleep, because of the numerous thought that were running wildly through his brain. Why didn't he help her? He was mad at himself. That could have been his change to make her fell in love with him. He could have been her hero. And now he is just the same loser as he was before.

He was silent this morning. Todd couldn't forgive Pietro for what he had done. Somehow he needs to avoid to be seen by her with him. If she founds out that he and Peitro hang out together she will be angry at him too. He felt down and he didn't really wanted to go to school and see Samantha hang around with those X-geeks. But he knew he had to. He wrote several poems, because he couldn't find no sleep and he picked one of those, the best as he thought, to give it to Samantha somehow. But how? Wouldn't it seem to her, as if he just liked her now because she's a mutant like her? As he walked through the hallways his had hung down, he couldn't pay any attention to class he wasn't even able to catch any flies or bugs. Normally he was hungry all the time, but now he didn't even wanted to snap for his favourite bugs. He totally lost his appetite. As he walked around outside all alone while lunch break he suddenly felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, if that isn't little Toddy Tolanky running around without his friends." Duncan said with an evil grin. "What do you think guys? How about a little game?" he asked his friends, which burst out laughing.

Todd gulped and more hands hold him down.

"Today is such a sunny day, how about letting the frog boy take a little sunbath?" Duncan said smiling.

His buddies laughed and of them said: "Yeah, his pale body could need some color."

There was more laughter and they took him to the sports field. They undressed him till he was just in his boxers and trough his clothes in a near garbage can. He tried half-heartedly to defeat himself, but he knew it was hopeless; they were too many and too strong. They climbed up with him on the stadium speaker's box and tied his hands and feet with sticky tape on the top of it. They tied him up very tight, so he couldn't move and put one stripe of the tape on his mouth so he couldn't scream. Then they went off and let him lay in the scorching sun.

As Samantha woke up this morning, she was surprised that she wasn't in her car. But then she remembered that she lives at the Xavier Institute for now and relaxed a bit, but not much, because she was already afraid of school. Professor Xavier told her that he solved her problem, but she couldn't really believe it. She stretched and walked down for breakfast. Finally she had found a warm place to stay at where she could get some food. The last few weeks weren't that easy for her. Fortunately she had her powers, so she could steal everything she needed in the safety of the night.

In the kitchen were already some other students. Kurt was there too, hanging down from the lamp and grabbing some muffins. She liked his appearance, similar to her, scary and demon like. He was the one who told the professor so fast about her misery, so he could prevent the worst. She smiled shyly and sat down on the table, starting to butter bread.

At school everything seemed to be normal. No one seemed to notice her, like always. She chatted with Rogue and Risty; everything was just fine.

Before maths, she found a piece of paper in her locker. A poem was written on it.

Every time I think about you my heart is beating faster.

Whenever I try to find words for you, it ends up in a disaster.

My heart is pounding just for you; it's you that I desire.

I cannot keep my eyes from you; you have set me under fire.

She wondered who had written this piece and if it really was dedicated to her. She really loved it, but couldn't believe that someone would really like her so much to write a poem like this for her. The person who has written this must really be in love with someone. Samantha had put it into her notebook between her own poetry and other written stuff and couldn't stop smiling. She just wanted to think there could be someone who loves her and hoped it would be Kurt. Who else would love the monster she was.

After dinner she talked to Kitty, because she seems to be a good friend of Kurt. She asked Rogue in school about those two, because she thought that they were a couple first. But Rogue told her that Kitty's boyfriend is one of this idiot's friends, which caused her the big trouble she had the day before.

Samantha set down next to Kitty on the sofa in the living room. Most of the others where there too, so was Kurt. She looked shyly to the ground and played around with her claws. As she wanted to whisper to Kitty, Kurt suddenly ported next to her. She winced and made a strange squeak sound.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't want to scare you." Kurt apologized.

"No problem." She smiled blushing.

Now, Samantha couldn't ask Kitty with Kurt next to her, so she just said.

"Kitty, can I talk to you privately?" took her hand and trailed her out of the room.

"Like, what's wrong Sam?" Kitty asked confused.

"Well, uhm… I need to ask you something… you know…" she stumbled.

"What it's like about?" Kitty stared at her.

"Uhm… well… I asked myself if… uhm… you know Kurt very well, don't you?"

"Uhm, yeah. Are you like fallin for him?" Kitty giggled.

Samantha blushed in a deep red. "Well, maybe." She whispered.

"Oh, poor girl. Don't you know that he like, already has a girlfriend?" Kitty asked.

"Really? I didn't know" Samantha said shocked. "Who?"

"Her name is Amanda. They have some classes together."

"So, she isn't a mutant, is she?" New hope gleamed inside her.

"No, but she knows about his mutation. Well, I don't think you have a chance. Sorry."

"OK, thank you. Please don't tell him about that conversation, ok." She said depressed and walked up into her room.


	4. Night Fly

Chapter 4: Night Fly

Samantha sat on her balcony and stared into the darkness. She wasn't sure what to think about all that. She knew she wasn't allowed to go out at such a late time, but she needed to calm down and relax. So she decided to fly around a while. Her black wings stretched and then she jumped down the balcony and glided through the air up into the sky.

The air flowed under her wings and she could feel it all over her body. To fly was the best thing for her and the only good thing about her mutation. She could see the dark streets and the shining street lamps under her. Everything was silent; the only sound she could hear was the wind that stripped her pointed ears.

As she flew over the school she could hear some noise from the sports field. She was curious and tried to fly deeper, so no one would see her. She wanted to land on the tool shed as she saw something unfamiliar on the speaker's box. She decided to land there and takes a look at it.

The voices on the field grew louder. It seemed that some teenagers had a party down there. When she landed on the roof she saw that a person was tied up there. The boy's eyes were closed, but Samantha was scared to be seen in her normal form, so she turned on her image inducer quickly. The skin of the boy was burned by the sun, but he seemed to sleep peacefully. "How long was he laying there" she thought. She tried to pull the tape from his mouth carefully. The boy woke up and looked up to her. His look was dreary. His iris was yellowish. He gulped and said her name. She was confused. Why does this boy now her name? Had she saw him somewhere before?

Todd was confused to see Samantha kneeling on his side. How did she come up onto the roof? Why was she there? Suddenly he remembered that he was just wearing his boxers, blushed and looked away from her. He was already tied up on the iron-sheeting roof. His skin hurt and he felt sick. He is embarrassed that she saw him like that. He had no clue what to say. He just wanted this situation to be over. Fortunately she wouldn't recognize that his face was blushed deeply because of the sunburn, at least he hoped so.

Samantha tried to get the tape off his hands and feet. During that she saw that he had webbed fingers and toes. She wondered if he was a mutant too. She tried to be silent to get not the attention of the other teenagers on the ground. When she was finished, she helped him to sit up. His back looked worse then his front. The iron roof was heated up during the day, while the sun was shining on it and that had left some bad burns on his back, his arms and his legs. She didn't know what to do, but she didn't want to be found by the others, so she decided to leave this place. "Don't get scared now." She told him, hugged him and they slid into a black hole that opened directly under them. They came into another dimension where just darkness was all around and Samantha was a part of this darkness somehow. This place was warm and it seemed to be alive somehow. Todd couldn't see anything at all, but he could feel that there was something around him, as if the darkness where come to life. He wasn't afraid of it; it felt more homy and cosy. He never felt like this before. It was a feeling of security.


	5. What a nightmare

Todd woke up in a white room he didn't know and his skin hurt. He tried to stand up, but his skin seemed to burst with every move and so he decided to stay laying there. He couldn't remember how he came here; he just knew that Samantha found him and then everything was black. Where is she now? He was alone in the room. He wasn't able to move. The only thing he could do was to wait.

He looked around in hope to find out where he could be. There were some medical machines around him a door on his left and a window on the other side of the room. He tired his best to get up a little so he could take a glance out of it. Maybe so he would find out where he was. But he didn't come far as the pain came over him and he felt back onto the cushion. Voices whispered in front of the room and got louder. Someone was coming closer. Todd listened to it to find out what they were saying or who was speaking. They were very close to the door now and he cold hear Scott Summers voice clearly. As he noticed that he was at the Xavier Institute his face got hot. He was already naked and didn't want anyone of those X-Geeks see him like this. The scene at the sports field was embarrassing enough. Ignoring the pain, he got up and wrapped himself into the blanket before he jumped out the window only seconds before Scott and Jean joined the room.

With care that no one could see him he jumped from tree to tree the immediate way to the brotherhood mansion. As he climbed into his room he wondered why the window was open. To week to move any further he just felt onto his sofa as Lance barged into the room.

"Where were you?" he asked angrily.

"Mystique was here and got really pissed off as you didn't show up."

"I was busy. The boss lady better tells us before she comes around." Toad answered covered under some cushions and a thick wool blanket.

He thought about where to get new clothes from now that his old ones seemed to be unreachable. How could he get them back after he didn't even know where they got left? Lance slammed the door behind him. Todd was glad to be alone for now.

As he woke up from weird dreams he noticed that it was dark outside. He didn't know how long he was sleeping, not to think about what day it was. He had no clue about how much time went by since the night he got attacked by the football team. Not that he had known before what day it was. His muscles already hurt but he needed to stand up. He felt dizzy and saw nothing but black for a little moment. As he could see again he stumbled to his uniform. Dressed up he sneaked to the bathroom in need for some water to drink. He hoped that the stations hadn't turned them off. They didn't. After drinking he felt better and headed to the mall where he hoped to find something to wear for school. He got in trough the funnel and crawled to a shop he heard Lance talk about lately. Mainly punk and army stuff was there. He chose stone washed jeans, a white tight T-Shirt and a green army jacket. Everything else he got in another shop. Finally some new shoes. Converse for sure. With his prey he took his way back home where he tried to get some sleep, just in case he should go to school the next day.


	6. Back at School

Chapter 6: Back at school

As Toad saw Samantha at school again, he didn't really know what to say. His face turned red and he stared to the ground. His hair was covering his face slightly. It was an embarrassing situation, but he even wanted to than her for the rescue. She was standing in front of her locker and searched for something. Fast he moved and appeared next to her stumbling:

"Hey, uhm, Samantha, … ya know, I just…"

She slammed the locker door and turned away from him. Confused Toad followed her.

"Wha… What's wrong?" he grabbed her arm.

She turned around and poke and angry gaze on him. "If I had known who you are I'd never done it. The others told me about you."

"What you mean?" Todd was shocked about that answer. He never expected such an answer.

"Rogue told me everything about you. You really try everything to get a shot, don't you?"

He felt his heart break into pieces. His hopes were destroyed without even getting a chance. He swore to himself that Rogue and the others would pay for that. He puts on an emotionless hard face and said simply:

"Fine."

Then he jumped away. Tears ran down his checks.

At the brotherhood home he was sitting in his room, glad no one was disturbing him. Why does he have no luck with girls? He thought about it quite a time, but he couldn't find out why everyone hated him that much.


End file.
